A.B.C.+Davis

Dr. A.B.C. Davis maintained an office, operating rooms, and rooms with beds for patients in Oklahoma City.

After the death of Mary Sudik, age 20, Davis offered her husband, Ernest, $50 toward funeral expenses. Ernest turned Davis in and helped in the investigation that got him arrested.

At the time of the arrest the officer seized a large quantity of ergot and other abortifacients. Immediately after placing the Davis in jail, the officers returned to his office and seized and carried away some instruments and appliances commonly used to perform abortions.

The officers also seized written statements signed by various women, stating that they agreed to hold Davis blameless for any dangerous or fatal results that might follow his treatment for "operations" performed by themselves or others. Many of the women who had signed these statements later testified that Davis had performed "operations" upon them under circumstances indicating that his practice consisted chiefly in performing abortions. They also testified that Davis insisted that they sign the statements prior to his performing their abortions. One of these witnesses was convalescing from an abortion in one of the beds in the room adjoining the doctor's office at the time of his arrest; another one came there for an "operation" while the premises were being searched by the police.

Davis admitted that he had treated the women, but denied doing any abortions. He insisted that these women all came to him only for aftercare for abortions performed elsewhere by somebody else. He claimed that this had been the case with Mary Sudik.

On the first of April, 1923, Davis was found guilty of the murder of @Mary Sudik, and sentenced to life in prison. He appealed on many grounds, but the appeal was unsuccessful. He was, however, paroled, and arrested in 1936 for mail fraud.